


The Proposal AU

by jamesgatz1925



Series: RomComs [2]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: AU, Angst, Developing Relationship, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, RomCom AU, The Proposal AU, i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-10 00:58:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13493484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jamesgatz1925/pseuds/jamesgatz1925
Summary: The Proposal AU!





	1. Wait, what?

Rafael often reminisced of days past, back before he crossed waters into the United States. It wasn’t all that long ago; he came here for college as a young adult, and that was about fifteen years ago.

He often wonders what life would have been like if he’d have stayed in Cuba. Much different, is his conclusion; not only would he be one in charge of a book editing company, and he wouldn’t be staring out the windows of high rise, NYC buildings, but he’d be different man.

Would he have the tough attitude he has today?

Did leaving his mother right after his Abuela’s death toughen him up?

Would she have lived longer if it hadn’t broken her heart when he announced he was moving to New York?

Rafael had no idea. All he could do was wonder.

* * *

 

“Yeah, I know. Hey, I gotta go—“ Sonny quickly cut off the call as Rafael approached him.

“Who was that? Your mom?”

Sonny blushed, but didn’t deny it. “I had to tell her I’m not makin’ it home this weekend. ‘Cause we got that last minute edit, you know?”

“I recall,” Rafael said. “What did she call me today?”

“I believe, ‘tart motherfucker’ was mentioned a few times.”

Rafael laughed. He always appreciated Sonny’s mother’s creative and colorful words towards him.

He led Sonny through the rows of desks and cubicles on their way to a staff meeting Rafael needed to be in.

“If I’m not out in ten minutes, come in with an emergency call,” Rafael told Sonny.

“That’ll be your fourth emergency call this week. Someone will get suspicious.”

“Please, they’re writers, not detectives.”

Rafael held out his hand, and Sonny smoothly placed a steaming hot paper cup in his hand. They walked down the hall toward the conference room, and Rafael immediately noticed another office worker wearing a coffee-stained shirt. The same exact shirt Sonny was wearing before he went out for coffee. Strange.

Or not so.

“Thanks for giving me your coffee,” Rafael muttered.

“What? I didn’t—“

“Of course you did. Let me guess, for the past two years you’ve been getting two of the exact same coffee, just in case mine gets ruined.”

“How do you—“

“Remember my first best selling crime thriller? Didn’t take a genius to write it. Now, how long did I say before you need to get me out of the meeting?”

Sonny rolled his eyes. “I’m not a baby. I was listening.”

“Sonny...”

Sonny sighed. “Ten minutes.”

“Good boy,” Rafael mocked. He flashed a grin at Sonny’s annoyed scowl. “While I’m in there, call Bill back. Tell him I want to see him this afternoon. He doesn’t want to go on the Today Show, but I think I can convince him.”

“Let me try to convince him,” Sonny said.

Rafael scoffed. “Please. You’re my assistant. Your job is to get my coffee and take my calls. Now, ten minutes,” he said, then entered the conference room.

It was not that he enjoyed teasing Sonny, not that he enjoyed the look of annoyance on the younger man’s face, not that he enjoyed pushing Sonny around—

No, it was all of that.

Rafael loved all of that. He also loved that he could probably pretty much do or say whatever he wanted to Sonny and Sonny, desperate for this job, desperate to be in Rafael’s position one day, will never quit being his assistant. No matter how many times a week he “quits”, he will never actually leave Rafael’s side.

Rafael, never one for friends, felt a close companionship with Sonny. If companionship meant working with the man for two years and not knowing his last name.

Rafael slipped into the conference room unnoticed because he walked in with a meeting already in progress. He never felt like he needed to be in meetings anyway, because his assistant had a knack for office gossip and usually knew what big meetings were about long before Rafael even knew there would be a meeting.

Slow minutes ticked by as Rafael tried not to stare at the clock. Sonny would rescue him soon, he was sure. Sonny was very punctual. If Rafael said ten minutes, he’d be there.

Ten minutes passed and Sonny hadn’t made his entrance. It was minute twelve when Sonny finally entered. He quickly scurried over to Rafael and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“What, is there another emergency, Barba?” asked Jefferson, another editor gunning for Rafael’s job.

Sonny spoke first, “Actually—“

Jefferson laughed. “Let’s hear what it is today, Carisi. Go on.”

Sonny hesitated, which confused Rafael. Just say it’s Lucia again!, Rafael wanted to shout at him. Anybody. Say something—

“It’s ICE,” Sonny whispered.

Rafael’s eyes grew wide. Why would they be—

“Wait,” Jefferson said, almost laughing, “Did you just say ICE?”

“Jefferson—“ their senior editor warned. Jefferson said nothing, but still laughed.

Rafael, now mortified and, honestly, pretty nervous, he muttered an excuse and followed Sonny out of the room.

Rafael answered the phone as soon as he got into his office. He didn’t even sit before the generic ICE office worker was informing him that his visa was expired and he would be deported in less than a week. Rafael’s life spiraled fast. His entire life is here. He worked so hard to get out of Cuba. All of his thoughts of wondering what it would’ve been like had he stayed didn’t compare to actually receiving news that he’d be going back. His work means nothing there. His life means nothing there. He can’t be forced to go back.

Rafael hung up the phone in a daze.

“What happened?” Sonny nervously asked.

Rafael cleared his throat to snap out of his trance. “I’m, uh...I’m being deported.”

Sonny was blessedly silent. He didn’t need any of Sonny’s encouragement right now. He needed to think straight and assume everything was going to be terrible. That would make him work harder and get his affairs in order.

Before he had a chance to move, there was a knock on his door. It was fucking Jefferson.

“Hey, boss wants to see you. I said I’d come get you so I can measure the office to make sure my custom made desk will fit.”

“Fuck off, Jefferson,” Sonny said.

Jefferson laughed as Rafael went to the door. “Rafi, you ever gonna fight your own battles?” he asked.

Rafael ignored him as he left the office, Sonny on his heels.

Rafael can barely take a deep breath as he approached the office door. He expected the senior editors and all the bosses to be in the room, to confront him about his citizenship status. It was something he needed to disclose years ago, of course, because he didn’t have a social security card or basic documentation natural citizens have. Rafael had his visa, had it since he came here for college many years ago, and that had failed him.

“I’m here for you,” Sonny said, and it was the most genuine thing he’d ever said to Rafael. Usually, when Rafael was having a mental breakdown from work, Sonny would offer the usual, “It’ll be okay.” But this was different, and Rafael knew that Sonny knew that.

“Interrupt in ten minutes?” Sonny asked.

“Make it five,” Rafael replied; whether it was a joke or not, he was unsure.

Rafael’s mind was racing a mile a minute as he tried to think of a plan. He could pack up and return to Cuba. Or, he could fight this in any way. He could wait for the documentation to go through, which could take forever. He could...get married.

To whom?

Why did Rafael push literally any relationship prospect away?

His thoughts were stuck on that as he sat in a chair facing all the senior editors. A bunch of old white dudes who didn’t do their jobs nearly as well as he did his but were born into the position they currently hold, both in companies such as this and in society. They didn’t know how blessed they were. ICE had never knocked on their door.

There was an awkward silence in the room. Rafael stared at the men across the table from him and wondered if their judgement of him changed because suddenly he was an illegal again.

“So...” Rafael sighed.

“We’ve also been notified of your immigration status,” Harp, the boss-boss, finally began.

“So, what, am I being fired?”

“Fired? No. We just want you to...get your affairs in order.”

“In case I get taken in the middle of the night, or something?”

“Well—“

Rafael’s mind raced. Visa renewal would take too long. Why was his mind stuck on getting married?

Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, “I’m getting married.”

“What?” all of the men questioned, shocked.

“Yeah,” Rafael said, too late to take it back. “I’m getting married. I can stay in the country.”

“Well, that’s wonderful news,” Harp said. “Who’s the lucky one?”

Rafael couldn’t think of a lie fast enough. He had no friends, certainly no romantic interests.

And then Sonny walked in, and Rafael couldn’t stop himself from saying, “Sonny.”

“Yeah?” Sonny asked.

All of the men looked at Sonny.

“Well, congratulations,” Harp said. “I think I speak for everyone here when we say we had no idea.”

“It’s...recent,” Rafael said. Sonny was still standing awkwardly in the doorway. “Come here, Sonny.”

Sonny slowly made his way into the room. He delicately sat next to Rafael and mouthed, ‘What’s going on?’

“So when are you tying the knot?” Harp asked.

Sonny sucked in a shocked breath. “I’m sorry—“

“It’s new, so we haven’t really set a date yet,” Rafael said.

Sonny’s eyes grew wide. “What?”

“We haven’t even told our families yet,” Rafael said. “We’re telling them this weekend when we go to his parents’.”

“We are?”

“Yeah, when we go to...”

Sonny cleared his throat. “A-alaska...”

“Alaska?” Rafael questioned.

“That’s where my parents live,” Sonny said.

“Then I...guess we’re going to Alaska this weekend...”

Sonny looked visibly freaked out. Harp and the other men bid Rafael good luck and filed out of the conference room.

“What the fuck?” Sonny asked, turning to Rafael.

“Getting married was the first thing I thought of to fix this!”

“The first thing?!” Sonny asked. “And to me?!”

“You’re the first person I saw! And, come on, you’d marry me.”

“Really? ‘Tart motherfucker’ comes to mind—“

Rafael rubbed his eyes. Everything was spiraling again.

“Listen, just do this for me, please? In time, we’ll get it annulled and it’ll be over. Please?”

“You would owe me, like, huge. This is a felony!”

“Only if someone finds out. We’ll tell people we’ve been working together so long that it just happened.”

“Like that’s believable.”

Rafael shrugged.

“If I do this,” Sonny said, “I want to be an editor.”

“What?!”

“This is a fucking felony.”

Rafael sighed. “Fine.”

Sonny ran a hand through his hair. “And we really are going to my parents’.”

“Yeah, about that. I thought you were from Staten Island.”

“I am. My parents...it’s a long story. I gotta go book plane tickets.”

“Fine,” Rafael said as Sonny stood.

“And I’m using your credit card.”

Rafael rolled his eyes.

 

 


	2. He said yes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I haven’t watched The Proposal in a long time, so although there are events that are the same and the layout I’m pretty sure is the same, the dialogue is off. But I’m sure it’ll be fine.
> 
> Thank you so much for the kind words already! Since it’s all done, I’ll post a chapter daily. Let me know if you’re liking it!

The plane ride to Alaska was bumpy and terrible. Rafael’s eyes squeezed shut the entire ascent and halfway over the United States and Canada. Sonny bopped away to music on his phone, and Rafael envied his relaxation. He even more envied that Sonny picked him up in a pair of visibly soft jeans and a Henley, whereas Rafael decided to wear his usual suit, and was very uncomfortable.

Somewhere above North Dakota, Sonny takes his earbuds out and turns as much as he can to Rafael.

“So, I found a whole bunch of questions likely to be asked by ICE to make sure we know each other.”

“I know everything I need to know about you.”

“Yeah? What do you know about me?”

“Your name is Sonny and you’re from Staten Island.”

Sonny glared at him. “Yeah. When deciding if you should stay in the country, ICE will accept my nickname and where I was born.”

“Wait, Sonny isn’t your real name?”

“Oh my god, this is hopeless.”

Rafael laughed now, since he was teasing Sonny. “No, come on. Your first name starts with a ‘D’, right?”

Sonny mocked, “‘What’s your husband’s first name?’ ‘It starts with a D...’.”

Rafael’s stomach turned oddly at the word ‘husband’. He would soon be married to Sonny. Married. Married to a man he hardly knows. Married without love or an actual commitment.

Romantic, Rafael thought.

“Okay, fine. What’s your first name?”

“Dominick. Dominick Carisi Jr., but everyone calls me Sonny.”

“And you know my name, so check that off the list.”

“Okay...” Sonny read from his phone. “And you’re from Cuba.”

“You’re observant.”

“From where?” Sonny asked.

“Cuba...” Rafael sarcastically muttered.

“No, smart-ass, I mean what town, city?”

“Oh. Right outside Havana, actually.”

“Wow. Why’d you leave?”

“You know things about Cuba, right?”

Sonny rolled his eyes at Rafael’s sarcasm again. “Look, I’m trying to make conversation here, get to know you. If you don’t wanna take this seriously—“

“Fine, fine,” Rafael said, as if it was Sonny who was twisting his arm for a sham marriage. “I came here for college, to further my education, all that stuff.”

“Did you ever intend on going back?”

Rafael shrugged. After Abuela died, he didn’t feel like anything tied him to Cuba anymore. His mother moved to Florida years after he left, so after that, there was really no point in returning.

“Next question,” Rafael said instead.

“What’s your favorite color?” Sonny asked.

“What? Are you serious?”

“Come on, your favorite color is something people need to know about their spouse.”

“Fine. Uh, red.”

“Like rose red or wine red?”

“Wine red,” Rafael said and realized how true that was. “What’s yours, then?”

“Blue.”

“Of course.”

“What? I’m a simple guy. What’s your favorite movie?”

They talked about their interests and lives for the rest of the flight, which added up to a few hours. Rafael learned that Sonny had three sisters, parents that were still together, and put himself through college, too. Rafael was impressed, especially after hearing that Sonny graduated from Fordham with honors. Not as prestigious as Harvard, but he had roots in New York and wanted to stay. Rafael had chosen Harvard just because he could.

Before they landed, Rafael thought of one more question he wanted to know from Sonny.

“Sonny, if you don’t mind me asking, are you actually gay? Or is this marriage a double sham?”

Sonny smiled. “No, I’m bi, actually. I’ve had a few boyfriends. Never married my boss before, though.”

“Hey, I’ve never married my assistant before.”

Sonny kept smiling. “I’m your first. You’re my first.” His eyebrows wiggled flirtatiously.

Rafael couldn’t help but laugh. “Shut up,” he said, shoving Sonny lightly.

“No need to flirt with me, Rafael. You already won me over.”

“Right,” Rafael said before laying back in his seat to begin descent.

* * *

 

After landing in Sitka, there was a short seaplane ride before arriving in more of the city. Then, they got in a car without calling a cab or Uber or whatever they had in that town and enjoyed a long ride out of Sitka.

The scenery was at least beautiful. Rafael had seen snow for now most of his life, but this was different. The mountains and trees were gorgeous, Rafael inhaled fresh air for the first time in years, and although it was cold, Rafael felt fine. It was nice.

They drove out of Sitka and it was a while before they hit another town. This one was much smaller and very cute, like something out of a movie or someone’s classic memories.

Rafael took stock of the businesses they were passing. “CARISI GROCERY”, “DOM’S AUTOMOTIVE”, “DEB’S FABRICS”. They were all Sonny’s family names.

“Why is your name on all of these businesses?” Rafael asked, far more than curious at this point.

“My parents own ‘em. They moved out here after Bella graduated high school, bought pretty much the whole town.”

“You’re rich,” Rafael observed, because how could Sonny not be? His parents own a small town in Alaska.

“Nah,” Sonny snorts. “My parents, maybe, but I can barely afford rent half the time.”

“Why don’t you ask for help?” Rafael asks. After Sonny gives a sour look, he adds, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Sonny shrugged. “I didn’t go to college to ask my parents for money.”

“You didn’t go to college to be my assistant, either.”

“Hey, after this weekend, maybe I won’t have to be.”

The car stopped suddenly, at the start of a dock in the water.

“Dios mio,” Rafael sighed. “Now what?”

Sonny laughed. He pointed across vast blue water. “See that house?”

Rafael nodded.

“Final destination right there.”

“Final Destination? Are you murdering me there? Please say yes.”

Sonny laughed again. “My parent’s house, drama-queen. Come on, I’ll help you onto the boat. Something tells me you don’t have sea legs.”

Sonny, a mile of legs and uncoordinated anyway, easily climbed down the ladder to the smaller dock and the boat, then easily climbed on. Rafael wobbled and Sonny laughed, but once he sat and the boat started up, Rafael was fine. Sonny drove he boat, which was surprising, because when does he have time to learn how to drive a boat? But if he’s been coming to Alaska for a few years...

“Why are we here, again?” Rafael asked.

“I dunno, probably because we’re both a little more than mentally unstable—“

“I mean in Alaska, dumbass.”

“My Nonna’s 90th birthday. She lives here with my parents, a bunch of my family came out.”

“Wait, like...your sisters, your cousins—“

“Yup.”

Rafael hung his head, wishing, maybe, to be thrown off the boat to his demise. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and they made it to Sonny’s parents’ house unharmed.

* * *

 

There was a lot of screaming when they stepped off the small boat, as they were rapidly approached by three women who looked an awful lot like Sonny. The four people hugged and hugged some more, and Rafael, who didn’t have a family like this of his own, never had anyone this happy to see him, watched awkwardly from the side. He wasn’t noticed until he made a move to get their luggage out of the boat and Sonny stopped him.

“Wait, Rafael, don’t get the bags, I’ll get ‘em,” Sonny politely said. “Come here real quick.”

Rafael approached the small group again, and this time all eyes were on him. Sonny looked pretty happy, but the girls just looked so judgmental. Rafael felt like he was in high school again.

“Guys, this is—“

“Rafael Barba,” the first woman said. “About time you stole my brother away.”

“Shut up, Theresa,” Sonny said. “That’s Theresa, the oldest. This one’s—“

“Gina. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you after we’ve heard...so much about you.”

Rafael didn’t reiterate, as he barely heard anything about the women two hours ago.

Sonny moved on to the last woman. “This is my baby sister, Bella.”

“Baby? Hardly. Nice to meet you, Rafael.”

So far, she looked the least threatening, the most happy to meet him—

“I knew you guys would get together eventually,” she added.

Never mind, Rafael thought. They were all in on this.

Sonny eventually grabbed the bags from the boat and they made their way up a long, stone staircase to the house.

The house was gigantic.

By far the largest house Rafael had ever seen. From the outside, huge windows could be seen that probably made the inside view much more beautiful. The house itself was made of a classic wood and stone that blended with the environment, and it looked warm and inviting.

The women ushered them inside and Sonny was again showered with hugs and kisses, this time by a much older version of the sisters.

“Sonny!” she cried. “Look at you! Oh, I’m so glad you’re here! So blessed! I missed you so much!”

“Missed you too, Ma,” Sonny said, happily hugging her back. Finally, he pulled away and pointed to Rafael. “Ma, this is Rafael. Rafael, this is my mom, Deb.”

Rafael awkwardly waved. If he didn’t get over how weird he felt soon, this would be a long weekend. And a long fake marriage.

“Nice to meet you, Rafael,” Sonny’s mother said, not too friendly. She didn’t completely sound like she hated Rafael’s guts, but maybe it was a front.

“Where’s Dad?” Sonny asked.

“Oh, he’s around here somewhere. Come, I’ll show you to your room.”

Rafael worried for a moment. She said room. As in one. As in, he would be sharing it with Sonny. For three days. Alone. In a room. With Sonny.

He had a few minutes to think about it because of how large the house was. They passed many rooms, each visibly taken by the sisters, but finally they stopped at a more secluded room and walked in.

The room was like a suite in a hotel. It had a large bed, a couch, an ensuite bathroom, a large closet, and a fireplace. He decor was woodsy but cute, and it all matched the outdoors that were visible through large windows stepping out onto a deck. In short, the room was amazing.

“Wow,” Rafael muttered.

“I know,” Sonny said, “Different, huh?”

Rafael just nodded.

“You two get settled, but come down in about an hour. Some people are coming over.”

Sonny groaned. “Ma!”

“What? Just a little get together, it’s not a big deal. Everyone’s excited to see you.”

Sonny nodded. Deb gently patted his cheek, then left the room.

Sonny announced that he was going to take a shower, so he left Rafael alone in the bedroom.

Rafael had time to look around. On the shelves next to the fireplace, there were rows and rows of books. Most of the books were leather-bound classics that he could find in his own personal library, but there was also a row of family photo albums. Rafael curiously took one off the shelf to fan through it, enjoying the photos of young Sonny and his family. He was pretty much the same as a child as an adult, with the same bright smile and bright eyes, only now with slightly graying hair. Rafael wondered how much of the aging he had pushed Sonny through with stress.

Rafael began to worry that the favor Sonny was doing for him was too large and too stressful. Sure, it’d be over in about a year, but the consequence of getting caught was far too great. Sonny could go to prison. His family would be torn apart. All of the smiling faces in these photos would be ruined.

Eventually, Rafael put the books back and got in the shower after Sonny. Once they were both refreshed and clean, they went downstairs for the get together.

* * *

 

It was far more than a little get together. Rafael was instantly overwhelmed by all of the unfamiliar faces bombarding him with questions and congratulations. It was astounding how fast news travelled. They just decided to do this yesterday and already it seemed like the entire small town knew.

It was frightening to Rafael, honestly. The large house was packed with people, and there was a ton of food. He remembered it being like this when he was in Cuba; people always over, bringing food, making food, talking and laughing. But since he was alone, it had been many years since he’d been in a situation similar. It was such a culture shock and so overwhelming that Rafael had to stop himself from having an anxiety attack.

“Here,” Sonny said, approaching Rafael after leaving him for about two seconds. He held a glass of what Rafael was hoping was scotch or whiskey, neither of which are drinks the hosts had set out.

“I know where the good stuff is,” Sonny informed him.

Rafael gave a silent thanks and took a sip. It burned so heavenly.

Sonny talked to Rafael for a few minutes about all of the people around them. Most of the people were townsfolk, but there were a few cousins who had made the journey for their grandmother’s birthday. The grandmother, who the kids all called Nonna, who Rafael had met not long after entering the party, was a sweet and gentle old woman who clearly thought the world of her grandson. She was old, but sharp as a whip, and Rafael saw where Sonny got his cleverness from.

Rafael wasn’t sure whether or not he liked the tight-knit family scene yet. This was all too new to him, too unfamiliar. He didn’t have people like this. He didn’t have family.

Still overwhelmed but helped by Sonny’s presence, it all came to a halt when a big man entered the house. It was obviously Sonny’s dad, not just apparent from the photos scattered around the house, but because he looked like Sonny if Sonny wasn’t a walking stick figure.

Rafael noticed Sonny clench the glass in his hand harder before downing the last of his drink.

Rafael began to ask if he was okay, but Dominick Sr. approached them and not-so-gently clasped Sonny’s shoulder.

“Hello, Son! Long time. Work keepin’ ya too busy in New York to visit your family?”

Sonny didn’t even answer him, he just ignored it. “Dad, this is Rafael.”

“Rafael? Is that what we’re callin’ you now? Last week it was—“

“Dad,” Sonny warned.

“Oh, shush, Junior. You know what a shock this is. Just a few days ago, you’re tellin’ us he’s makin’ you work all weekend, now you bring him here to parade around before your big gay wedding?”

“It’s not a gay wedding, Dad. Normal people just call it a wedding.”

Dominick Sr. rolled his eyes. “Excuse me,” he said.

If Rafael didn’t feel awkward before, now he did. It was very clear Dominick Sr. hated him, and that wasn’t a surprise. Rafael didn’t have to imagine what was said about him, and he wouldn’t be surprised if Sonny’s news that they’d be getting married had a few choice words attached.

But suddenly, seeing the pained look on Sonny’s face, Rafael didn’t feel like it was about him. He felt bad for Sonny. He felt bad that his father’s presence made his body tighten and pull away. Rafael felt bad for whatever Sonny’s had to go through with the man.

“I, for one,” Dominick Sr. said, voice loud so more people would overhear. “Am very curious to know how this all got started.”

“Save the gory details,” one of the sisters—Theresa?—added. “Just tell us how you proposed.”

“Yeah!” another sister joined.

Soon, there was a small group around them, and Rafael, once again, felt like he was on display.

Sonny spoke up. “I asked, he said yes, the end.”

“Oh, come on!” Bella cried.

Gina added, “Tell us from your point of view, Rafael.”

Rafael cracked a grin. He was an award winning fiction author. Now was his time to shine.

Sonny seemed to know exactly what Rafael was thinking, because he flashed a warning glance. Rafael, of course, did not heed his warning.

“It was a rainy Sunday afternoon,” Rafael said. “Poor Sonny was disappointed because he wanted to go on a picnic that day, and from then I should have known something was up.”

“A picnic?” Bella asked. “Wow, Son.”

“Yeah,” Sonny said, “But it was raining and Rafael’s precious suits can’t get too wet, so we couldn’t go outside.”

“Instead,” Rafael cut in, “Sonny decided he wanted to make me an early dinner. The problem was that we needed about half the ingredients for it, so he made me go out in the rain anyway.”

“Oh, Sonny, so gentlemanly of you,” Theresa joked.

“Well, I went,” Rafael said, “But little did I know, Sonny would be decorating my apartment beautifully so he could ask—“

“But,” Sonny stopped him, “It wasn’t all that great.”

“He’s being modest,” Rafael said. “There were candles and rose pedals and chocolate covered strawberries—“

“Aww,” the sisters and a few women who had gathered sound.

“It’s too bad I’m allergic to strawberries, so I couldn’t have any,” Sonny said.

“Well, remember, you were trying your diet anyway.”

Rafael caught Sonny almost rolling his eyes.

“Diet?” Bella asked. “When was this? I just saw you put down half a tray of cheese and crackers.”

“Shut up, Bella,” Sonny said.

Rafael got the attention back to him.

“So, anyway, I got home and it was dark but for candles. And rose pedals were scattered across the floor, leading the way to the bedroom. And that’s where—“

“I was. The end.”

“Don’t be shy now,” Rafael said, “He was waiting on the balcony.”

“Balcony? Hmm,” Theresa sighed, smiling at Rafael now, sizing him up.

“He was waiting with a bottle of chilled champagne and the strawberries, and when I got out there he was already crying.”

“Crying?!” Gina asked. “You were crying?!”

“I probably had something in my eye,” Sonny said, annoyed.

“Yeah,” Rafael replied. “Tears.”

Everyone laughed.

“He had just gotten so emotional. He could hardly contain himself as he blurted it out, and of course I said—“

“Yes, that’s it.”

Rafael had no more details to add now, so he just grinned behind a sip of scotch.

“That’s so sweet,” Gina said.

Someone clanked a glass. “How about a kiss?!”

“Oh, I don’t think anyone wants to see that,” Rafael said.

But apparently, Sonny thought it was his turn to embarrass Rafael, because he just leaned over and laid a quick kiss on his lips, like it was nothing. Like they kissed every day.

“A real kiss,” someone demanded.

Rafael wanted to argue that a kiss is a kiss, but Sonny grabbed him around the waist and leaned in. Rafael felt Sonny’s warm breath against his lips before his lips actually touched, and this time the kiss was slow and sweet. Sonny’s eyes closed, so Rafael closed his, and it was quick for Rafael to get into it, to feel it, to appreciate it.

He felt butterflies in his stomach, which was odd. Maybe it was that he hadn’t kissed someone in too long. Maybe it was the fake romantic story he’d just told. Maybe it was the alcohol. Or maybe—

Could it have been Sonny? Sonny’s lips on his? Did he have butterflies in his stomach for his assistant?

When they parted, Rafael couldn’t help but lick his lips as everyone clapped.

He liked it. The kiss. It was nice. Sonny’s lips were plump and soft, unsurprisingly. For once, Rafael wasn’t repulsed by the taste of beer because it was coming off such delectable lips.

Rafael had trouble forgetting about the kiss all evening, especially when Sonny changed into a ridiculously appealing set of pajama pants and shirt before bed. He looked soft around the edges, loose and truly at home. Rafael liked the look of him. It was as if he saw how beautiful Sonny truly was.

Feeling, Rafael was not accustomed to. But felt he did.

“You take the bed,” Sonny said. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“What? That’s crazy. You’re a foot taller than I am.”

“First of all, I am not a foot taller than you. Second, you’re my guest.”

“Aren’t we both guests?”

“Nah. When you know how to work the ridiculously intricate shower, you’re not a guest.”

Rafael felt embarrassed again at the scene an hour ago when he asked Sonny how to turn the shower on.

Watching Sonny get blankets and a spare pillow out of the closet, Rafael knew there was no arguing with him. He drew back the blankets on the bed and slowly sat.

Once they were settled, the shutters on the windows were closed, and Rafael felt relaxed, he decided to ask a few questions that have been stuck on his mind all day.

“How can your parents afford all of this?”

Sonny laughed. “Really good investing. My dad bought part of a company just starting out, like, fifteen years ago. Made a whole bunch of money. Eventually, he sold his share and made a bunch more. Then, Bella went to college, and they decided to drop everything and move here.”

“Must be tough.”

“It was, at first. I couldn’t come out whenever I wanted because of school. But then I spent an entire summer here, just working. It was nice, I almost didn’t want to go back to New York.”

“Why did you?”

“You hired me.”

Rafael feels oddly bad about that. He didn’t know what Sonny was leaving in Alaska. That was probably the start of Sonny’s family’s hatred toward him, though.

“Can I ask you something now?” Sonny asked.

“Sure,” Rafael said, silently willing to tell Sonny anything he wanted to know.

“Why did you become a writer? You could’ve been anything. You’re, like, a genius.”

Rafael laughed. “Although I am flattered, I am no genius. Not on paper, at least. But to answer your question...I don’t know why. I’ve always wanted to write. And then I wanted to edit.”

“And then you wanted to suck souls out of poor interns.”

“Hey, that kid had it coming.”

Sonny laughed. Rafael realized he liked making Sonny laugh.

“I think that’s enough heart-to-heart for one day,” Sonny said, and Rafael could hear him tossing and turning on the couch.

“Yeah,” Rafael agreed, even though he would like to learn more about the life Sonny’s secretly had until then. Rafael knew it was his fault, that he never asked Sonny about his life, and he wanted to make up for it.

But Sonny yawned.

“Good night,” Rafael said instead.

“Good night, Rafael.”

Rafael fell asleep to the sound of Sonny’s gentle snoring.


	3. So...naked

Rafael was awakened by a rapid tap on the thick wooden door. Sonny jumped up but he was slower on the uptake, then Sonny was suddenly scrambling into his bed.

“What are you doing?” Rafael asked.

“They’ll wonder why I’m sleepin’ on the couch,” Sonny slurred out.

His hair was a mess, his shirt twisted, and he had a pillow crease pink on his cheek. In short, he looked adorable.

Rafael didn’t push that far from his mind as Sonny laid next to him.

“You guys decent?” Dominick Sr. called through the door.

Sonny rolled his eyes. “Yeah Dad, come on in.”

It wasn’t just Dom, it was also Deb and Sonny’s grandmother. Rafael assumed the sisters weren’t far outside the door.

“We had an idea,” Deb said. “Lets have the wedding here! Sunday!”

“What?!” Sonny was able to get out first.

Rafael was pretty sure he swallowed his tongue. It was Friday. Getting married in two days was soon, no matter how real a wedding could be.

“Come on, it’s perfect!” Deb tried again. “Everyone you love is here, it’s already an important weekend—“

“Y-yeah,” Sonny said, “We couldn’t take over Nonna’s birthday. Right, Rafael?”

Rafael nodded.

“Nonsense!” Sonny’s Nonna cried. “I would be delighted! My little Sonshine only gets married once, you know!”

Rafael wanted to tell her she shouldn’t be too sure, but he didn’t.

“Look,” Dominick Sr. spoke next. “We got off on the wrong foot yesterday, Son. Let us show you that we’re okay with...this.”

Rafael assumed there was no arguing with these people. Sonny rubbed his face and sighed.

“Let us think about it, okay?” he asked. “We’ll have an answer in a little while.”

“Wonderful!” Nonna cried. “Let us go pray for it! Right now! Come! Deb, Dom!”

Rafael watched the three people file out of the room.

“Oh god,” Sonny said, falling over on he bed, his head almost on Rafael’s lap.

“Hey, it’s fine,” Rafael said, lifting a hand to pet Sonny’s head before thinking better of it and setting his hand down again.

“Fine? Jesus, a sham wedding, and now my parents want in on it? And what the hell was that with my dad? He’ll always call my marriage to a man ‘this’ and not, y’know, an actual wedding or something.”

“I’m...sorry,” Rafael offered.

Sonny sat up. “I really don’t think they’re going to take no for an answer.”

“I didn’t think so.”

Sonny nodded. “So, lets just get it over with, okay?”

Rafael agreed. It was hard not to agree with the man when his hair was sticking up in ten different directions. Sonny could have asked Rafael to do anything at that moment and Rafael would have.

Unfortunately, Sonny did not take advantage. He just hopped out of bed again and headed for the bathroom.

Rafael spent the entire day unfortunately away from Sonny. They were both sent on different tasks to put the wedding together in a few days; Rafael roamed the property with Gina and Bella to find the perfect spot to hold the ceremony while Sonny and Theresa helped make decorations. Sonny was elected to build a pretty arch as the altar out of branches and twigs, and Rafael quickly accepted a woodsy themed wedding.

Rafael was inside helping the women with food for Nonna’s party when suddenly they began to hear rough banging from outside.

“Oh no,” Deb said, “Not again.”

“What?” Rafael asked.

The sisters went to the window. Rafael tentatively followed, seeing Sonny banging an axe against a wooden canoe.

“He’s hallowing out the canoe again,” Theresa said, as if Rafael should have known how that was significant.

“What do you mean?” Rafael asked.

“Let’s just say he built that canoe the summer he accidentally came out to my dad,” Gina added.

Rafael understood. Sonny took his frustrations out on the wood.

“So what does that mean now?” Rafael asked.

“Sonny and Dad fought,” Bella said.

Rafael felt bad. What did they fight about?

“Should I—“

“Go out there?” Theresa asked.

“Dear god, no,” Deb said. “You don’t want to go near an angry Sonny when he’s holding an axe.”

Rafael wouldn’t know. He’s never seen Sonny mad in a personal setting. At work, he had to accept the frustrations. Not here. Here he could hack away at an already hollowed canoe.

The banging continued all afternoon, and Rafael worried, but finally he decided he’d better shower before Nonna’s party. He excused himself to his and Sonny’s room and wasted no time getting in the shower.

It wasn’t until he was out of the shower that he realized he didn’t grab a clean towel. He had no idea if Sonny was still outside, but Rafael had no choice but to leave the bathroom completely naked and wet.

He thought he could be quick. He thought he could slip in and out unnoticed.

Rafael was never so wrong in his entire life.

Not only did Rafael run into Sonny, but it wasn’t until he was on the floor underneath Sonny that he realized they were both equally naked.

“Oh my god!” Sonny cried, scrambling to get off Rafael. He was quick to grab a blanket off the couch as Rafael only had his hands to cover everything with.

“What the hell?!” Sonny cried.

“You’re asking me what the hell?! You, what the hell?! What are you doing in here completely naked while I’m in the shower?!”

“I didn’t know you were in the shower, these walls are really thick! And god, put something on please!”

Rafael shuffled over to the linen closet for a towel. He didn’t even want to make a joke about Sonny keeping his eyes to himself. He was mortified.

“And what was your plan?” Sonny asked, “To jump me before I could—“

“I was in the shower!” Rafael defended.

Sonny rolled his eyes.

Rafael waved towards the bathroom. “Just go take a shower. You smell awful.”

“I was outside.”

“Yeah, you stink. Just go.”

Sonny stomped toward the bathroom, and before he had the door shut, he tossed the blanket at Rafael. Rafael made a face because the fabric was already moist with Sonny’s sweat as he crumpled it up and tossed it back onto the couch.

* * *

 

The entire evening was awkward between them. That happened when you accidentally saw someone naked. Even more so when you were so tightly mashed against them while completely naked. It wouldn’t have been absolutely terrible, probably, had it not been so sudden and humiliating.

Rafael wondered how much of him Sonny actually saw. Sonny surely felt enough, but he wondered if he saw Rafael’s small tattoo on his chest or the scar on his stomach from an emergency appendectomy.

They managed to avoid talking all evening. It wasn’t until they were settled in their respective beds that they spoke again.

“So...” Sonny said, “So...naked...”

“I was there, Sonny.”

“I guess now we’re...pretty close...”

“Some would say too close.”

Sonny laughed. Rafael felt an ease of the tension.

Until Sonny asked, “So, what is your tattoo of?”

Rafael sighed. “You saw that?”

“I mean, yeah. Hard not to notice when you’re naked—“

“Don’t say it—“

“On top of someone—“

Rafael felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment again. However, he found himself unable to contain a laugh. He couldn’t stop, especially when Sonny began to laugh. The whole ordeal was suddenly just very funny.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?” Sonny asked again.

Rafael sighed. “It’s a Mariposa, a flower. It’s the national flower of Cuba and it was my Abuela’s favorite. After she died, I got it. Without my mother’s permission.”

Sonny laughed. “How old were you?”

“Fifteen. My Abuela was...pretty much the most important person in my life. It broke her heart when I told her my plan to come to the United States for school. See...if you leave Cuba, you pretty much can’t go back on your own. I was basically ensured to never return home. Anyway, she...she died shortly after I told her. I’ve never forgiven myself for hurting her with the news.”

“You had to do what was right for you.”

“I know, and I know that now. It was just hard to forgive myself. Like promising to never leave would bring her back. At least with this flower, I feel closer to her.”

“I’ll tell you what,” Sonny said, “It’s...kinda sexy.”

Rafael cracked a smile.

Sonny continued, “I mean, you’re usually sexy, like in the office and stuff, but knowing you’ve got that rebellious tattoo—“

“It’s a flower—“

“Kinda even more sexy. I like a family man.”

Rafael’s smile grew.

“I don’t have any tattoos,” Sonny said.

“I noticed.”

“Really? Were you looking anywhere other than my crotch?”

“I was not!” Rafael cried.

Sonny laughed. “We’ll be married day after tomorrow. You can look.”

Rafael almost wanted to joke about seeing now, but before he could, Sonny kept talking.

“If I got a tattoo, I’d probably get one for my family, too. They’re the most important people to me. Maybe something for my sisters. Maybe something from the Bible.”

“That sounds like you.”

“You’ve known me for two years and before this weekend you didn’t know I even had sisters.”

Rafael frowned. Sonny was right. He never made an effort to get to know Sonny. He never made any sort of effort to be friendly to the man who spent every waking moment tending to his every need for two years.

Saying he was sorry didn’t seem enough to cut it. Instead, Rafael said, “Seeing you here his weekend...I’ve already learned a lot about the person you are.”

“And you’ve seen me naked.”

Rafael laughed. “And I’ve seen you naked,” he agreed.

Sonny picked up the remote that controlled the lights in the room. Rafael saw that as a clue to go to sleep.

“Good night, Rafael,” Sonny said softly.

Rafael’s eyes slowly drifted shut. “Goodnight, Sonny.”

 


	4. Trust me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had this entire story written. Yesterday when I was going to upload chapter 4, I accidentally erased it. So this is a re-write, and I hope it doesn’t sound half-assed. I thought the original was better, but since you all have nothing to compare this re-write to, it should still be good. As always, thank you for reading!

Rafael was awakened again by a sharp rap at the door early in the morning. He quickly sat up in bed and looked down at the couch where Sonny was still gently snoozing.

“Sonny!” he whispered.

“Huh?” Sonny mumbled, not yet awake.

“Get up here!” Rafael replied. “Someone’s at the door!”

There was another short knock, but Sonny still didn’t move until Rafael hurled a pillow at his head. Then, Sonny rolled off the little couch and shuffled over to the bed, where he just flopped down on Rafael’s pillow.

Rafael looked down at him. His t-shirt was riding up, his face was tinted pink, and his hair was fanned out around his head like a fluffy halo.

Why did this man look so amazing upon first waking up? Unfortunately, Rafael didn’t have long to dwell on the question before there was yet another knock on the door. This time, Rafael called for whoever to enter.

Unsurprisingly, it was Deb and Nonna, but this time they had an offering tray of coffee and cinnamon rolls.

“Sonshine!” Nonna cried, poking at Sonny’s back. “You can’t sleep the day away!”

“I guarantee you it’s 7 A.M.,” Sonny mumbled into the pillow.

Rafael glanced at the clock. It was 7 A.M. on the dot. He saw where Sonny got his punctuality from.

“Anyway, we want you guys out of the house,” Deb said.

“Gee, thanks Ma,” Sonny sarcastically said.

Rafael smirked. He was definitely getting used to Sonny.

“Sonny!” Deb cried, laughing still. “We just need to get the last minute details finished. Take Rafael to town, show him around. We’ll meet you in town later.”

Sonny gave a quick thumbs up before Nonna and Deb finally left the room.

Rafael watched Sonny struggle to sit up while still looking completely asleep.

“Some coffee, Sonshine?” Rafael joked.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re both grandma’s-boys, ha-ha.”

Rafael chuckled as he poured a cup for Sonny. “Hey, how do you take your coffee?”

“Black, actually. I can’t stand all that sugar and crap you put in yours.”

“You don’t get this,” Rafael patted his belly, “From black coffee.”

Sonny’s gaze lingered where Rafael had just patted. Rafael wondered what he was thinking, if he was judging, but Rafael remembered Sonny mentioning something about being sexy yesterday. Rafael then wondered if Sonny liked what he was seeing.

Sonny, still soft around the edges and sleep ridden, was too appealing for Rafael to not like what he was seeing. But Rafael pushed that thought from his mind and instead bit into a cinnamon roll.

The pastry was delicious. Rafael nearly moaned in delight after the first bite.

“This is fantastic,” he said, “Where are they from? A bakery in town?”

Sonny shook his head. “My dad made ‘em. He’s a great baker.”

“Really? Did you get any of the skill?”

“Mmm, yeah, but my specialty is cheesecake.”

“Cheesecake? You may be a keeper after all,” Rafael joked.

“Hey, as far as the government’s concerned, me and my cheesecake are all yours.”

Rafael laughed as he drank his sweet coffee.

After a sugary breakfast, Sonny decided he needed to exercise around the yard for a bit.

“You’re not going to hollow out a canoe, right?”

“Geez, you know about that?”

Rafael nodded. “What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Sonny shrugged. “Me and my dad...” he sighed. “Look, it’s kinda personal, okay?”

“Okay,” is all Rafael said, not wishing to pry.

Sonny gave a short smile before leaving Rafael to go outside.

After dressing, Rafael decided to explore the house. It was still so early that nobody else in the house was awake, so Rafael heard no noise until he came upon a secluded room with the door cracked open.

Rafael peaked in to see Sonny’s grandmother kneeling on the floor and praying. He meant to only watch for a moment, but he slipped suddenly and fell into the door.

Although Rafael was embarrassed, Nonna looked surprised but pleased. She smiled warmly at Rafael as he gathered himself.

“Come in, young man,” Nonna said, holding a hand out invitingly.

Rafael almost laughed. Him. A young man.

He went into the room anyway.

The room was a small homemade chapel, complete with an altar and a collection of Rosaries. It reminded him of something his Abuela had growing up, a place where she prayed privately and only invited him when he was being punished.

Rafael didn’t know what compelled him, but when Nonna pulled him to the ground, he willingly kneeled next to her in front of a picture of Jesus.

“What will you pray for today, Rafael? You don’t have to say it out loud, just think it. Feel it in your heart.”

Rafael’s mind suddenly went blank. He didn’t know what to pray for. That he could stay in the country? Keep his job? Repay Sonny sufficiently?

Nonna handed Rafael a beautiful blue Rosary with rose beads representing each of the five Our Fathers. Of all the Rosaries on display, it was the most beautiful one, and Rafael couldn’t help but wonder why she gave him that specific one.

Rafael went along with the prayers as if it was a muscle memory. Years of Catholic church and study did that to a person, and Rafael couldn’t help but think of all the memories he had surrounding church. He thought about his childhood and life leading up to that moment in Alaska, he thought about leaving Cuba and how, ultimately, that led to this moment. He wouldn’t be in Alaska, with Sonny’s family, if he hadn’t needed Sonny’s help, if he hadn’t left Cuba in the first place.

Rafael thought about Sonny. He thought about what he was doing to Sonny, and he wondered if, with God’s help, everything could be okay. He thought about everything he had learned about Sonny in just a few days, and he thought about how wonderful Sonny really was.

About halfway through the prayers, Nonna began to sing the words. She had her own tune, but Rafael caught on quickly and was able to sing along. In fact, the melody was so much like a sweet lullaby that Rafael didn’t realize his eyes had closed and his head was dropping until he was being gently nudged.

Rafael slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the angel smiling down at him.

“Hey,” Sonny said, a beautiful glow around him from the sun streaming through the window.

Rafael just blinked. He wondered why Sonny was so soft and why twice in the same morning he’d thought of Sonny as angelic.

“You awake?” Sonny asked, lightly touching Rafael’s cheek.

Rafael leaned into the touch and missed it when Sonny brought his hand away less than a second later.

“Want to go into town?” Sonny asked next.

Rafael looked at Nonna. He didn’t know if they were done.

“Is that okay?” he asked.

“Do as the spirit is guiding you to,” Nonna said with a wide smile.

“So...”

Nonna chuckled. “Go, my dear!”

Rafael was slow standing, but he eagerly followed Sonny outside and to the boat.

Sonny easily started the machine and got it slicing through the water, looking cool with his hair flowing in the wind. The icy air chopped through Rafael like a knife, and he was much more awake in minutes.

Sonny found his voice, too. “Hey,” he said, “Thanks for hanging out with my Nonna.”

Rafael chuckled. “Do you often call praying ‘hanging out’?”

“Hey, I went to a private Catholic school ‘til high school, uniform and all. I only left in high school to get a sports scholarship.”

“Did you?” Rafael curiously asked, vowing to find Sonny’s uniform photos in the albums on their bedroom’s shelf later.

“Did I, what?”

“Get a scholarship?”

Sonny snorted. “Yeah, that’s why I went to Fordham to become an English major.”

“Don’t they have sports at Fordham? They do at Harvard. Where I went.”

Sonny rolled his eyes. “Sure. Did you even go to games in college?”

“I wouldn’t be too surprised, if I were you. I was quite the athlete growing up.”

Sonny scoffed so hard Rafael thought he was going to choke. “Right.”

Rafael smirked. “Running away from the block’s bully when you’re a smart-ass to him makes you a pretty athletic kid.”

“See, that sounds about right. And familiar.”

Rafael looked out onto the water as a pleasant quiet washed over them. He itched to ask Sonny about how familiar running from a bully was, but he sensed it was another thing Sonny wouldn’t be willing to share. He wondered why this weekend was bringing up so many of his own memories, and why he and Sonny had so much in common. Issues with their fathers, Catholicism, and now a bullying problem? Rafael wondered what else.

It wasn’t until the dock came into view that Rafael spoke again.

“And you don’t have to thank me,” he said. When Sonny looked confused, he added, “For ‘hanging out’ with your grandmother.”

“Oh. No, I just mean, y’know, for indulging her. For doing something with someone I love.”

“Oh,” Rafael said. “Well...I just know how I’d want someone to treat my Abuela. I’d want someone to do something that was important to her with her.”

Sonny nodded. “I understand. But thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Rafael said, giving Sonny a quick smile before the boat pulled into the dock.

The walk around town did not take long; it was stopping at every single shop and receiving a free treat that took forever. After snacks at the grocery store, ice cream at the ice cream shop, coffees at the cafe, and sandwiches at the deli, Rafael was stuffed and tired.

Unfortunately, he remembered that the outside world still needed him, he hadn’t signed over his job yet, and he needed to at least check his email. His cell phone hadn’t been working since the in-flight wi-fi on the ride over.

“Does this place have internet?” Rafael asked, gesturing to nature itself.

“Gah, Rafi, we aren’t complete barbarians here. Come on.”

They went back to the cafe from before. Upon entering the second time, Sonny pointed to a couple of old computers that Rafael didn’t notice their first time in and definitely would not have noticed had Sonny not pointed them out.

“Do you have anything from this century?” Rafael asked.

“Come on, Rafi, this is peak technology here.”

Rafael rolled his eyes and sat.

The computer turned on just fine, but the internet would not connect. Rafael fiddled with it for about five minutes before the kid behind the counter said, “Needs dimes.”

“What the hell?” Rafael asked.

“Just put some dimes in.”

“Does it look like I carry loose change?”

Sonny chuckled. “Alright, hold your horses, your majesty, I’ll get ya some dimes.”

Rafael watched as Sonny smoothly did so, even making the kid behind the counter laugh as he did.

Then, Sonny returned to him and dropped all the dimes on the floor before Rafael’s hand was up all the way.

“Sonny?” Rafael tried to get his attention.

“Yeah? Oh, sorry, Rafael. Hey, I’ll be right back.” With that, Sonny trotted out of the cafe.

By the time Rafael stood from picking up the loose dimes, he was able to look outside and see Sonny hugging a man. They hugged genuinely and happily, and Sonny was smiling from ear to ear.

Rafael tried not to spy, eavesdrop, but it was hard not to glance out the window every few seconds. His curiosity got the better of him. He really wanted to know who the mystery man was and why Sonny was so happy to see him. The entire time Sonny was talking to him, they were standing close and friendly, unlike anytime he’s ever spoken privately to Sonny.

Sonny finally made his way inside, and Rafael clicked around the computer to try to look busy.

“Sorry about that,” Sonny said.

“It’s okay,” Rafael said, leaving it for then.

Rafael lasted a whole seven minutes after leaving the cafe to ask who the man was.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sonny said. “He’s nobody.”

Obviously, he was somebody, but Rafael didn’t pry. If Sonny wanted him to know, he’d say something.

Of course, all the heavy things Sonny had dealt with so far that weekend, a lot of it was a secret. This added to the list.

And Rafael not only wondered who the man was, but why Sonny was acting like he couldn’t tell the new boyfriend about the ex. Rafael wasn’t really his boyfriend, it didn’t really matter.

They just about reached the dock to head for the Carisi house when another boat pulled up behind it. It took mere seconds for Rafael to recognize Sonny’s family, and about a second later for them to jump out of the boat and run towards them.

“Rafi!” Deb called out as the women approached, and Rafael wondered not for the first time what about him screamed, ‘I love my childhood nickname’.

“I ordered you a suit!” Deb added.

“We’re going to go to the shop so Nonna can alter it,” Theresa said.

“Nonna’s the best seamstress in town,” Gina explained.

“Oh, these old fingers?” Nonna asked. “You’ll all help. Except you, Sonshine, it’s bad luck.”

“Nonna, neither of us is any blushing bride—“

“We will stick to some traditions,” Deb said, pushing Sonny away. “That includes you not seeing what Rafi is wearing. So you go keep yourself busy while we work, then we’ll call you for dinner.”

Sonny rolled his eyes.

Rafael watched the family bicker back and forth like a hexagonal tennis match, where he fit nowhere. Eventually, the women won, and Sonny watched helplessly as Rafael was ushered away.

Rafael tried to clear his mind while the women sized him up, but it was difficult for his curiosity to stop sending him to wonder who the man was. As the women bustled about, he thought about why it would be such a big secret.

Finally, his curiosity got the best of him, because he couldn’t help spilling out, “Hey earlier Sonny ran out of the cafe to talk to a man, who was it?”

The women looked surprised at first, probably because until then Rafael had been completely quiet while they talked and talked, but then their expressions each changed to more of a soft surprise.

“Oh, Andrew?!” Bella cried. “He saw Andrew?”

“It had to have been Andrew!” Theresa said.

Exactly then, Gina reentered the room. “What? Sonny saw Andrew?”

“Who is Andrew?” Rafael asked.

“Andrew’s the one who got away,” Bella said.

“I thought Sonny was the one who got away,” Theresa commented.

Gina answered, “I think since Sonny is the one getting married, he’s the one who got away.”

The other two women agreed.

Rafael didn’t have to ask what the story was there, because Bella began to tell it.

“Sonny and Andrew were hot ‘n’ heavy the summer after Sonny got outta college. But then Dad caught ‘em—“

Gina interrupted, “Some things are better left unsaid, Bells.”

Bella nodded in agreement. “So then, Sonny went back to New York anyway and that was the end of Andrew.”

Rafael faltered. Sonny left someone he loved to work for him in New York, and what has Rafael done? Bossed him around for two years, then drag him into a web of lies?

Rafael couldn’t ask any more questions because Deb and Nonna reentered the room. Deb looked so pleased with Rafael’s suit all pinned up, and Nonna was holding a little gift box.

“Rafael, I have something for you,” Nonna said, stepping up to him and handing Rafael the box.

Rafael tentatively opened it. Inside was a plush cushion with two beautiful, shiny cuff links laying delicately on it.

Rafael didn’t know what to say, but he didn’t need to speak anyway before Nonna did.

“They were my husband’s, Sonny’s grandfathers. I was saving them for a special occasion, for someone worthy of entering our family, and you’re the first!

“I see so much love in you and Sonny. I see so much love between you. I see many years of happiness coming your way, and I couldn’t be more happy for you to be a part of our family.”

Now, Rafael really didn’t know what to say. He was suddenly overwhelmed with so many different emotions.

This family already thought so much of him. In a few days, their opinion of him had gone from loathing to caring, unless it was a front the day before when he bonded with them while Sonny was hallowing out the canoe. But they were kind, they laughed with him and made him laugh. There was no talk of what he’d done to Sonny in the years working for him.

Nonna was willing to give Rafael this grand gift just because she thought Rafael had feelings for Sonny. He’d known her for three days. And already...

Rafael also did not have this family of his own. It hit him what he left in Cuba, which was everything. His Abuela and Abuelo’s larger hand-me-downs that couldn’t make the trip. His Mami. She wasn’t at his wedding, and Sonny’s was there crying in front of him. His Mami didn’t even know what danger he was currently in. If he was to be deported, he would probably never see her again, because it wasn’t as though she could return to Cuba to see him.

Rafael’s eyes were watering and he hadn’t even noticed.

“Oh, don’t cry, Rafi,” Deb said.

Rafael looked up and noticed all of the women dabbing their eyes.

“Damn it, now I’m crying,” Gina said.

“Me too,” Theresa agreed.

Rafael’s heart was racing. Everything was hitting him far too quickly for this. He couldn’t express what he felt, not to them. He couldn’t say he was afraid of hurting them. He couldn’t say what he was doing to Sonny. He couldn’t say what he was doing to them.

“Are these happy tears, perchance?” Nonna asked.

Rafael cleared his throat and said instead, “I just don’t have this of my own. I don’t have a family like this.”

“We know,” Deb said. “Sonny told us. And we want you to know you’re welcome with us anytime. We were thinking, maybe you and Sonny could come here for Christmas. Or we could go to you!”

Rafael swallowed he lump in his throat. Christmas was a long ways away, but he couldn’t think about it right then.

Rafael closed the box. “I appreciate this. Can we—“

Nonna clapped her hands. “Yes, we have work to do! You take this off, then you can go meet your honey.”

Rafael was left alone while he changed, then he was able to sneak out the back door without them noticing.

* * *

  
Rafael practically ran to the boat. He was prepared to hop on and figure it out himself to get back to the house, but luckily Sonny was there, leaning against the pole the boat was roped to, arms crossed and looking cool in the sun.

“Hey, Rafi, what’s—“

Rafael really wished everyone would stop being so comfortable with him to use his childhood nickname. Nobody had called him that in many years, but suddenly there was a new group of people who began to use the monicker within a few days.

Rafael had ran passed Sonny, toward the boat, so Sonny followed.

“Wow, slow down!” Sonny called, catching up to Rafael easily with his stupid long legs.

“I need to get out of here,” Rafael said, panicked.

He hopped onto the boat and got behind the wheel, but Sonny pushed him aside and started it up. Sonny easily got the boat off the dock and started down the water.

“Can you tell me what’s going on?” Sonny asked. “Did something happen? Did someone say something?”

“No!” Rafael cried, pushing Sonny aside again so he could steer the boat himself. To have control of something at the moment. “I mean...yes! No! I don’t know!”

Sonny’s arms flailed. “Then tell me what happened!”

“I don’t know! They just kept talking! And they’re so happy! And they were talking about the wedding and about you and me and I just...”

Rafael steered the boat almost wildly, because he had no idea what he was doing. And everything kept bubbling in his mind, so it was making him shake.

“And we’re being so stupid, Sonny! What are we doing?! They’re doing all of this for us and it’s not even real and when they find out they’ll be so mad and—“

Rafael let go of the wheel.

“Jesus Christ, when you’re grandma finds out—“

“Rafael!” Sonny yelled, pushing him over and taking the wheel.

Rafael stepped back, panicking even more. “When Nonna finds out, she’s going to have a freakin’ heart attack, and—“

“Hang on!” Sonny shouted before turning the boat suddenly against a rough wind, but it was too late.

The next thing he knew, Rafael was splashing around helplessly in the water, Sonny continuing on his way.

Rafael tried to shout, but Sonny obviously couldn’t hear him over the wind and rumble of the boat. Rafael just splashed around and kicked as hard as he could, having not swam in a really long time.

It seemed like hours before Sonny noticed he was gone, although it was only seconds, and he whipped the boat around to retrieve Rafael. He looked as panicked as Rafael felt, still dangling in the water, and he pointed to a buoy nearby for Rafael to swim to.

Rafael did, and he hung onto the buoy like his life depended on it. Sonny finally pulled up next to him and was reaching out when the boat was idle.

“Take my hand!” Sonny yelled.

Rafael, shaking and freezing, was too nervous to do so.

“Trust me! I’ll catch you!” Sonny shouted next, and Rafael thought that there was nobody in the world he trusted more than Sonny. For years, Sonny had been like Rafael’s left hand: slightly less talented than his right but still important. He trusted Sonny to make or break appointments, keep his schedule tidy, remind him to eat, and on more than one occasion helped Rafael pick out his outfits. He trusted Sonny with everything, so why not with rescuing him from frigid water?

Rafael was able to reach, and of course Sonny caught him. He hauled Rafael onto the boat and sat Rafael on the seat.

“Hey, I got you,” Sonny said, ripping off Rafael’s soaking wet coat and replacing it with his own. “I got you now,” Sonny repeated, soothing Rafael.

Rafael chattered as Sonny wrapped his arms around him in an attempt to warm him. But the warmest part of Rafael was Sonny’s breath against the side of his head, where Sonny was almost kissing Rafael’s temple.

“You can’t do that,” Sonny whispered, “You can’t do that to me.”

Rafael wondered if Sonny meant commandeer a boat or scare him like that. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was Sonny’s arms around him.

* * *

 

After a silent journey the rest of the way to the house, Rafael much more calm after the shock of cold water, they got to land and started the short trek from the dock to the house. Rafael was so excited to get inside, maybe take a hot bath and ask Sonny to make him some tea, but when they got to the top of the stairs, Dominick Sr. was waiting for them looking very stern.

“I need to speak to you,” he said, “Both of you.”

Rafael and Sonny exchanged a confused glance before following Dominick Sr. to the house.

He didn’t go into the main house; instead, he led the men to the side barn where the wedding would be later.

“Your mother is not to know about this,” he said before entering.

Inside, there was a serious looking woman waiting for them. She was wearing a black suit, and Rafael assumed she was a lawyer or someone important.

“Guys, this is Ms. Barbara Owens. She’s from ICE.”

“What?!” Sonny snapped.

“She called me and I thought this wedding would be something she’d like to witness.”

Rafael’s head was spinning again.

“Unless of course,” Dominick Sr. said, “There’s something you’d like to say?”

“What? Like what?” Sonny asked incredulously.

“Son,” Dominick Sr. said, and Rafael thought how glad he was that Dominick Sr. would just rather ignore him. “I’ve negotiated a deal in your favor. If you agree now, Ms. Owens has agreed to no prison time. Just say the word.”

“You want me to say something? Fine. I’ll tell you what.”

Rafael held his breath.

Sonny continued. “I’ve been working for Rafael for two years. Six months ago, we started having an affair, we fell in love. I asked him to marry me. The end. Happy now?”

“Son—“

Sonny shook his head. “Come on, Rafi,” he said, turning to leave.

Rafael followed, not only because he wanted out of the barn but because Sonny had grabbed his hand and yanked him along.

* * *

 

Later that night, warm and in bed, Rafael was still thinking about the events of the day. He really, really didn’t want to hurt Sonny or this family.

But there was one thing sticking out in his mind: Sonny said they “fell in love”. And Rafael knew he truth, that it was a lie, but he couldn’t help but think about the real love in Sonny’s life.

“I have a confession to make,” he said into the darkness.

“Yeah?” Sonny asked.

“I know about Andrew.”

Sonny didn’t say anything at first, and Rafael assumed he was mad.

“I’m sorry,” Rafael tried. “I was just curious, so I asked your sisters. They said—“

“Rafi, hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry for not just telling you. It’s not like it’s a secret. It shouldn’t be.”

Rafael sighed in relief. “They, uh, also told me something about your dad.”

“Yeah, he took it pretty hard.”

“Was that why you hollowed out the canoe the first time?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“And this time? You fought again? About...me?”

“Look, I’m not trying to keep secrets or anything, but you really don’t have to worry about it, okay? My dad’s just...he’s got his own way of thinking. That said, I’m really sorry about this afternoon. About him bringing Ms. Owens out here.”

“It’s not your fault,” Rafael said.

“I know, but...” Sonny sighed. “I’m on your side, okay? Just remember that.”

“I do,” Rafael quietly said.

“Other than...all of this,” Sonny said, “Did you have a good day?”

“Yeah,” Rafael said, and decided it was time for a joke. “I ate my way through a small town in Alaska, never done that before. And I took a very nice dip in the lake. Or ocean. I’m actually not entirely sure where we are...”

Sonny laughed. “Hey, I’m glad I could help you experience some new things.”

“And yet I’ve been trying to get you to eat sushi for years—“

“That is raw fish!”

“I saw you eat an oyster today!”

Sonny laughed harder. “Okay, okay. You win. When we get back to New York, you can take me to a fancy sushi place. As long as I get to take you to my favorite Italian place.”

Rafael rolled his eyes. “Isn’t eating at an Italian food restaurant, like, sac religious to you people?”

“Just don’t tell my Nonna.”

Rafael laughed now.

There was silence as Rafael thought about their day. Immediately, his mind travelled back to Andrew.

“One more question,” Rafael said. “Why did you leave Andrew?”

“Well, first there was the fight with my dad that was, like, the fight to end all fights. Think World War III in southern Alaska. I had to get away from him, I didn’t even talk to my ma in that time. But I’d also gotten the job working for you. And then I got so busy with work that it didn’t matter who I left over here.”

“I’m sorry,” Rafael caught himself saying.

“It’s not your fault.”

“Every time you say ‘work’, it’s my fault.”

“Hey, no. I’ve loved working for you. Honestly, half the reason I wanted to do this is because the thought of losing you as a boss is not doable for me.”

“And yet you negotiated getting a promotion?”

Sonny chuckled. “Okay, the thought of not being your coworker is hard. And just think, tomorrow we’ll be married coworkers. Kinda—“

“Don’t say sexy.”

Sonny laughed again. “At least I won’t have to let people down gently when they ask me to dance at office holiday parties. I have a permanent date to those things now.”

Rafael felt bad about Sonny being unable to date once they’re married. Sonny deserved his freedom to dance with people at the holiday parties.

Before Rafael could say anything else meaningful, Sonny was turning on the couch into a more comfortable position.

“Well, good night, Rafi.”

Rafael’s mind was racing too much to sleep, but he looked forward to Sonny’s gentle snores soothing him to sleep. So he said, “Good night, Sonny,” and let the other man sleep.


	5. What are you doing?

Rafael woke differently than he had each day before. Nobody woke them up, so they didn’t have to scramble into bed together, and Sonny just got up and mumbled a greeting before going into the bathroom.

Rafael wondered if Sonny was upset. He figured Sonny probably was, because it was the day of their sham wedding.

After Sonny was dressed, he left the room immediately, so Rafael took his time showering and dressing.

Rafael felt down. He felt a weight on his chest, in his heart, that he was not doing the right thing. He shouldn’t be dragging Sonny into this. Now, more than yesterday, more than the day before, he felt terrible about this.

Rafael spent the day accepting a return to Cuba. He would return with Ms. Owens, he would have a day to pack his apartment, then he’d be sent back. He had to be okay with it.

Rafael just didn’t know how to back away from the wedding. Suddenly announce in the middle of lunch that it was all fake? Tell Nonna and Deb in private?

Rafael felt afraid and sick to his stomach about all of it. Not just about returning to Cuba, that he had to accept. But the thought of hurting Sonny’s family when they’ve welcomed him so greatly, telling them this was fake, the thought of them hating him...the thought of Sonny hating him...

Rafael was sick at the thought. He wanted nothing more than to keep Sonny happy.

Eventually, Rafael’s fear of hurting everybody—a feeling he’s never had before but came at him like a truck—won out, because he found himself dressed in the nice suit Deb had bought and ready to go for the wedding.

He felt stressed, and trapped, but then he saw Sonny as he was about to walk down the isle and felt at ease.

“You ready?” Sonny asked.

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Yeah, me too. This was just very sudden. A little overwhelming.”

Maybe if Sonny called off the wedding, everyone wouldn’t hate him forever. “You don’t...you don’t have to...I won’t hold it against you—“

“No, I agreed. I want to.”

Rafael looked at him. “You want to?”

“Well, yeah. Who else am I supposed to fight with on a daily basis? And you’re gonna make me an editor, right? Come on. As long as I don’t go to prison, that all sounds like a win.”

“You shouldn’t have to add ‘as long as I don’t go to prison’—“

Rafael was cut off by Dominick Sr. suddenly appearing in front of them.

“You guys ready?” he asked.

Sonny just nodded, but Rafael knew that had more to do with not wanting to speak to his father than nerves.

Dominick Sr. nodded back, then he went back down the isle and gave a thumbs up to whoever was playing music.

Sonny went down the isle first. Rafael had a moment to take a deep breath and convince himself this was fine.

It all came crashing down when he took his turn down the isle. With everyone watching him, a whole crowd of people he didn’t even know, it was hard to keep his head on. Once he got to the head of the isle, at Sonny’s side, and everyone sat, he was able to pick out faces.

In the front, there was the Carisi family: Dominick Sr., Deb, Nonna, and the sisters. They looked so proud. Dominick Sr., slightly less so, but the women were almost crying already. Rafael felt terrible that their hearts were so set on this wedding and it was not real.

On the other side of the seats, Rafael was able to pick out a few people he’d met over he weekend; it was mostly the townspeople he met on the tour, the business managers. They looked happy, proud, of the Sonny they know and love.

There was Ms. Owens, the deportation officer ready to take him away at a moment’s notice.

And then there was Andrew, Sonny’s love. Sonny was so happy when he saw Andrew in town. Watching him through the window, Rafael could see there was love there. Real love.

Sonny didn’t deserve this. He deserved real love. Maybe with Andrew, maybe with someone else, but he deserved it. No matter how strongly Rafael felt about him after this weekend, Sonny didn’t deserve him. He didn’t deserve Sonny.

Rafael held up a hand to stop the minister from speaking.

“Uh, yes, Rafael? Do you have a question?”

“I have something to say,” Rafael said. It was too low for anyone to hear.

“What?” the minister asked.

“I have something to say,” Rafael said again, this time louder.

“What are you doing?” Sonny hissed.

Rafael ignored him. He turned to the crowd instead.

“Look, I...I have to come clean,” Rafael said.

Ms. Owens shifted forward in her seat and grew a predatory grin, as if her time has come. Dominick Sr.’s eyes grew wide, as he was sure what was coming but surprised by it.

Rafael managed to ignore both of them. “I’m Cuban. I’m from Cuba. Long story short, my visa has run out and I’m being deported. I made Sonny here go along with marrying me so I could stay.

“I just want to say,” he said, addressing the Carisi family, “You have a wonderful family, a wonderful son. I’m so sorry for hurting you guys like this. I appreciate the trouble you’ve gone through for this wedding only for it to be...well, you know.”

Rafael turned to Sonny. He had a look of complete shock on his face, complete confusion, complete hurt, and Rafael felt like it was a punch to his gut.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered to Sonny. “Good luck.”

With that, Rafael walked back down the isle, Ms. Owens quick on his heels with a smirk still on her face.

 


	6. Too late.

Sonny couldn’t breathe. His throat felt like it was tightening by the second, his chest felt like an elephant was sitting on it.

Rafael was gone, just like that. Rafael was going back to Cuba, leaving forever.

Leaving him.

He wasn’t supposed to. Rafael was supposed to be there forever, with Sonny’s help. Rafael wasn’t supposed to ever be away from him.

After this weekend, this weird weekend they’ve had, he didn’t ever want Rafael to go anywhere.

If only he’d said something. What could he have said?

That he had feelings for Rafael now? Rafael wouldn’t have believed him. He probably thought Sonny was only doing this for the position promotion.

Sonny’s head was spinning. He needed to sit down, but he was still standing under the arch he’d built, left at the altar like an idiot.

Deb approached him. “Sonny? Is all of that true?”

“Of course it’s true,” Dominick Sr. said, “Did you actually think they were in love?”

“You played it really well,” Theresa commented.

“Fooled me,” Gina added.

Dominick Sr. ignored them. So did Sonny.

“Son, Ms. Owens had given you a timeline until this evening to come clean, so you’re free. You won’t have to do any prison time.”

“Dad, that’s the last from my mind.”

“But—“

“Prison?!” Deb cried. “You could’ve gone to prison?”

“You risked prison for him?” Bella asked.

“Aww!” the sisters sighed together.

Sonny waved a hand, hoping everyone would get the message and just shut up.

“I can’t think,” Sonny said. “I gotta...”

Then, he took off out of the barn.

He ran to the main house, hoping to catch Rafael to convince him to stay, to say something important, but when he got into their bedroom, it was empty. Sonny thought Rafael must’ve been planning to leave if he’d packed so quickly.

Sonny noticed a note with his name on it folded on the bed. Sonny made his way over, fearing it was a rejection letter from Rafael, and sure enough, that’s exactly what it was.

“Sonny,” it read, “I’m sorry for dragging you into this. I’m sorry for everything. I just got to thinking that you deserve everything in the world, and pulling you into a sham marriage for my own personal gain was not the way of doing this. Hopefully, this way, I’m giving you a little bit of the world I think you deserve.

“When I get back to New York, I’ll have a day to put my affairs in order, and I’m signing everything in my office over to you. You’ll get my position, most of my belongings. I hope this makes up for what I’ve put you through.”

At the end, a scribbled signature that Rafael could forge easily, that he’d forged hundreds of times before when Rafael was too busy to sign simple documents.

Sonny’s head was pounding. He wanted to stop Rafael so badly, stop him from returning to Cuba, stop him from giving up. Rafael never gave up in anything. Sonny’s seen him work through illness, pain, seen him fight for clients and fight in his writing career. And now Rafael was just giving up without trying.

Sonny wanted to tell Rafael to stay. For him. Sonny’s enjoyed their time learning about each other too much to just let it go. He’d grown too many feelings for Rafael to let him go.

Sonny didn’t notice he’d sat on the bed, or that someone was knocking on the door until it was slowly opening.

“Sonny?”

Sonny looked up instantly at the familiar voice. It was Andrew.

“Hey,” Sonny said, still holding the letter.

“That was...something,” Andrew said. “You okay?”

Sonny shrugged. “I...I don’t know.”

“Anything I can—“

“See, I don’t even know how I’m supposed to feel now,” Sonny said cutting him off and suddenly unloading on this man he hasn’t talked to for two years. “What am I supposed to do? Just go back to New York and forget about it? Forget about him? Move on with my life? Move on knowing...knowing I...that I—“

“I knew you really loved him,” Andrew said, smiling softly. “I see you for the first time in two years and you talk about him for five straight minutes.”

“You know what?” Sonny said, standing suddenly. “I do love him. And it’s new and I’m scared because he’s leaving. He’ll be gone, and for how long? Will he ever believe me saying I love him? Holy shit, I actually love him. I love—“

Andrew stopped him, “Okay, okay, Sonny, look, I’m happy for you, but this isn’t the easiest thing to hear.”

Sonny took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

Andrew chuckled. “It’s adorable though, you getting all flustered like this. Reminds me of...never mind. Go after him. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Sonny stuffed the note in his pocket and headed for the door. He leaned in, kissed Andrew’s cheek in goodbye, then ran out of the room.

When Sonny got out into the front yard, he saw the last boat leaving the private dock.

“No!” Sonny yelled. He wanted to cry. He was not going to stop Rafael.

“What’s going on?” Deb asked from behind him.

“I’m not going to make it.”

“Oh,” Deb sighed, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Son, I’m sorry.”

Sonny turned to hug his mother, then he caught sight of Dom and Nonna coming towards them.

“What’s happening?” Nonna asked.

“The last boat just left,” Deb said.

“Oh!” Nonna cried.

“What does it even matter?” Dom asked. “He was willing to put Sonny in prison for his own life to continue on! He could have really hurt Sonny!”

Sonny grew angry. Not only was he going to miss stopping Rafael, but Dom was not helping.

“Dom,” Deb warned.

“No, aren’t I allowed to have an opinion? Aren’t I allowed to say I don’t want that person in my home?”

“Dom!”

“That if I can’t be in the country legally—“

“Dad!” Sonny yelled. “Rafael’s a better man than most I know. You don’t know him—“

Nonna tried to intervene. “Boys, stop fighting!”

Sonny talked through her, “Not like I do. So keep your bigoted, racist remarks to yourself, and—“

Nonna suddenly cried out and clutched her chest. “Ow, ow!”

“Mom!” Dom went to her side instantly.

“Oh, it hurts! I can’t breathe!”

“Call a helicopter!” Dom instructed.

Luckily, Sonny got his cell phone to work earlier that weekend, because he was able to call 9-1-1 and ask for a helicopter.

It wasn’t long until the four of them were piling into a large helicopter and heading to the nearest hospital in Sitka. Sonny and Deb held Nonna’s hands as Dom watched looking scared.

“It’ll be okay, Nonna,” Sonny said. “It’s okay, just breathe.”

They got what Sonny estimated to be halfway there before Nonna pulled the oxygen mask off her face.

“I have a final request,” she said.

“What? No, Nonna—“

“I need you two to be nice to each other!” she told Sonny and Dom. “Dominick, I did not raise you to be a hateful man. I want you to love Sonny and love whoever he chooses in life. And Sonny, be here for your family. Be here for your father and it’ll be easier for him to be close to you. Can you both do that?”

Sonny was crying now. He just nodded and kissed Nonna’s knuckle.

“Dominick?”

“Yes, Mom, yes I can do that.”

Nonna took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Deb began to cry harder. Sonny felt terrible, but he leaned over and hugged his dad.

And then he jumped a mile when Nonna said, “Well, I’m feeling a lot better. Tom, to the airport!”

“What?!” Sonny cried.

“Uh, Mrs. Carisi, I have to take you to the hospital!” the pilot said.

“Come on,” Nonna said, “I was faking. We’re a bunch of really good liars in this family, haven’t you noticed? Anyway, to the airport!”

“Ma’am—“

“Thomas Olsen, don’t make me call your mother.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tom said, dipping the helicopter to go towards the Sitka airport.

Dom was the first to begin to laugh, then Sonny laughed, then Deb hit them both and fell into Nonna, laughing in relief.

“But,” Dom eventually began, “Why are we going to the airport?”

“Oh, Dom,” is all Deb said.

They finally landed at the airport and filed out of the helicopter. Unfortunately, as soon as they got off, a big plane was taking off.

Sonny sighed in disappointment. He felt it in his gut that that was Rafael’s plane.

“Your friend John is air traffic control,” Deb informed him. “Call him.”

“Who the hell would let John be air traffic control?” Sonny asked, taking out his phone.

John answered on the third ring.

“John!” Sonny yelled. “John, that plane that just left, it’s not going to New York, is it?”

“Uh, yeah,” John said. “How do you...”

“Look down,” Sonny said.

John came to the window, spotted them, and waved.

“Hey, man! What are you doing?! Miss your flight?”

“Something like that,” Sonny said before saying goodbye and hanging up.

“I’m sorry, Son,” Deb said as Sonny fell to her for a comforting hug.

“Seriously, what is going on?” Dom asked.

“Dom! He loves Rafael!”

“What? I thought it was all fake.”

Sonny just shook his head. He couldn’t say anything else.

The next flight out wasn’t for an hour, and it had to go to Los Angeles, but Sonny thought that was better than waiting days for another flight to the east coast. In Los Angeles, he would connect to New York, and all he could do was pray he’d make it on time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more after this...


	7. He said yes...again.

Rafael didn’t have many personal affects in his office, and it was about now he was glad about it. Ms. Owens gave him an hour to pack, and he did so quickly while completely humiliated. Everyone in the office who hated him was watching with smirks on their stupid faces.

Rafael never fought his own battles. Sonny was always quick to jump in; where Rafael was the brain, Sonny was his fighter. Sonny was his protector. Sonny knew he words Rafael would use before Rafael did, so he’d step between Rafael and a confrontation and face it head on.

He wished Sonny was there. For a lot of reasons. He wished he could say goodbye one more time, face to face. To tell Sonny he ended up meaning more to him than...than the ability to stay in the country.

“I’m just about ready,” Rafael said to Ms. Owens standing at his office door.

There were still books on the shelves, files in the desk, his planner on the top.

“Are you sure?” she asked, eyeing everything left.

“Yeah. It’s all Sonny’s now. He’ll need it when he takes over.”

Ms. Owens nodded, then Rafael led her out the door.

Everyone was standing from their desk and cubicle as he exited. He thought, for a second, that everyone just wanted to see him getting escorted out by a lady controlling whether or not he stay in the country, but when he looked towards the elevator doors, his desired destination, he saw why everyone was suddenly standing.

Sonny was there.

Rafael was frozen on the spot, as if his brain was trying to decide if it was a trick and if Sonny was really there. But soon Sonny was right in front of him, breathing hard and frowning, and Rafael knew he was real.

“Why are you out of breath?” Rafael asked.

“I’ve been running.”

“From...Alaska?”

“No, from—“ Sonny shook his head. “You know what, never mind. Look, I had to find you because I had something to say. You left before I got my chance.”

“Well, the government waits for no one.”

“It can wait,” Sonny said.

“Actually, I don’t—“

“Will you just shut up and listen?” Sonny snapped. “Jesus, see? You do this. You drive me fucking crazy. For two years you’ve been driving me crazy. I think you’ve made it your special talent to find the way to drive me the most crazy in a single week. You’re a pain in my ass, Rafi.”

“Flattering—“

“I said to listen. As I was saying, I stay anyway. I do whatever crazy thing you need me to do, and recently that’s included taking you to Alaska to convince my family that we’re together. We had ‘em fooled, Rafi.”

“Did we?”

“So you can imagine my surprise when I found myself standing alone at the alter. Husbandless.”

Rafael wanted to say he did it for Sonny. For Sonny’s safety and career to move forward. “Well, I—“

“You can imagine how surprised I was when I was disappointed that you left me.”

Rafael’s gaze began to travel up to Sonny’s eyes.

“How surprised I was when I watched you walk out and realized I’m in love with you.”

Rafael’s eyes quickly snap up to Sonny. “You...what?”

“I’m really hoping you love me, too.”

Rafael stopped breathing.

“I know this is crazy, but...” Sonny slowly dropped to one knee.

“What the hell?” Rafael breathed out.

“Rafi, marry me,” Sonny confidently said, “So I can date you.”

Rafael licked his lips to save time. God, Sonny was good. He was too good. Rafael didn’t deserve him. He didn’t deserve that beautiful face, eyes, that perfect hair, that great ass. Sonny was too much.

But how could Rafael say no to a man he’s learned to love back?

Rafael just nodded instead of saying anything, since his tongue was in knots and the relief of Sonny being here would probably make him choke up.

Sonny’s face broke into a giant smile, then he stood and before Rafael could even blink, Sonny’s big hands were holding his face and pressing his lips against his.

Kissing Sonny was definitely something Rafael could get used to. Starting now.

Unfortunately, someone yelled, “Show him who’s boss, Sonny!”, then there was a loud eruption of laughter and clapping through the office. Sonny pulled away first, but he was laughing.

Rafael looked around at everyone. He noticed two people in the corner exchange a $20 bill. He noticed Ms. Owens look surprisingly pleased. He noticed Jefferson looking pissed.

“Hey wait,” Sonny said, “Does this mean I don’t get a promotion?”

“Well, I can’t pull any strings to give you special treatment—“

Sonny rolled his eyes. “Oh, shut up,” he said, then leaned forward to give Rafael another kiss.

* * *

 

The second wedding was planned for three weeks later. It was the soonest they could get in at the courthouse, but in that time, they had many dates. They got to know each other even better.

They were more than prepared for their appointment with ICE.

They were interviewed separately, of course, and Rafael was prepared for all the normal questions, but then Ms. Owens began asking questions that Rafael did not expect.

“Who’s the better driver?”

“What? How is that going to determine whether or not I get to stay?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Uh, me. Probably. I don’t know, we don’t have to drive.”

“He says he’s the better driver.”

“Well, he’s wrong.”

“What’s Sonny’s favorite Pop-Tart flavor?”

“What are Pop-Tarts?”

“Seriously?” Ms. Owens asked. “I should send you back just for that.”

Rafael laughed. He knew she was just screwing with him now.

“What is Sonny’s favorite color?”

“I know this one. Blue.”

“What about his favorite color to wear?”

“What?!” Rafael cried. “That’s not a thing!”

“He said yellow.”

“He’s never worn yellow.”

Ms. Owens clearly holds back a grin. “Final question. Who are you marrying?”

Rafael cracked a smile now. “Sonny.”

“State his full name for the court.”

Rafael rolled his eyes. “Dominick Carisi, Jr. Can I please go now? We have dinner reservations.”

Ms. Owens raised a hand towards the door. “Good luck, Mr. Barba.”

Rafael bowed as he left her. “Thank you.”

Sonny was sitting in a chair right outside he door, so when Rafael stepped out, he stood. He was smiling like he knew exactly what questions Ms. Owens asked.

“You were in on this?” he asked Sonny, grabbing his hand as they began to walk down the hall.

“Hey, we needed a laugh.”

“She asked me what kind of Pop-Tart flavor you like. I don’t even know what Pop-Tarts are.”

Sonny instantly let his hand go. “I want a divorce.”

Rafael laughed, grabbing at Sonny again. “Oh, shut up,” he said, pulling Sonny close.

Sonny let himself be pulled. He kissed Rafael’s head, and Rafael felt it through his entire body. He was sure that feeling he got when Sonny kissed him would never go away.

At least, that’s what he hoped.

Rafael was extremely happy as they left the building. He had Sonny by his side, he was breathing the sour New York air, and he would be as long as he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This completes The Proposal AU! Thank you so much for reading and enjoying, if you did. It was fun to write! 
> 
> Next is my Valentine Challenge, so keep an eye out for those!

**Author's Note:**

> Someone on the BarisiArchive “wished” for an au of The Proposal. I hope whoever wished it finds this and likes it. I hope everyone likes this! Let me know! 
> 
> There are 7 chapters, by the way. Each one except chapter 5 are Rafael’s POV.


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